וָאֶתְּנָ֨ה אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֜ם נְתֻנִ֣ים ׀ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֗יו מִתּוֹךְ֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לַעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּלְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֨א יִהְיֶ֜ה בִּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נֶ֔גֶף בְּגֶ֥שֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
At ibinigay Ko ang mga Levita bilang lubos na ibinigay kay Aaron at sa kanyang mga anak mula sa gitna ng mga anak ni Israel, upang gampanan ang paglilingkod ng mga anak ni Israel sa Tolda ng Pagtitipon, at upang magbayad-sala para sa mga anak ni Israel, upang hindi magkaroon ng salot sa mga anak ni Israel kapag lumapit ang mga anak ni Israel sa banal na lugar.”
Vayikra Rabbah
“Speak to the children of Israel” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman: This is analogous to a king who had an inner garment. He would command his servant, saying to him: Fold it, shake it out, and pay close attention to it.’ His servant said to him: ‘My lord the king, of all the inner garments that you have,12The king would wear several layers of clothing. you command me only regarding this one.’ He said to him: ‘It is because I wear it directly on my body.’ So too, Moses said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, of the seventy imperial nations that You have in Your world, You command me regarding only Israel: “Command the children of Israel” (Numbers 28:2), “speak to the children of Israel” (Exodus 14:2), “say to the children of Israel”’ (Exodus 33:5). He said to him: ‘It is because they are attached to Me.’ That is what is written: “For just as the belt cleaves to the waist of a man, [so I have attached to Me the entire house of Israel and the entire house of Judah]” (Jeremiah 13:11).
Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king who had a royal garment. He would command his servant, saying to him: ‘Pay close attention to it, fold it, and shake it out.’ His servant said to him: ‘My lord the king, of all the royal garments that you have, you command me only regarding this one.’ He said to him: ‘It is the one that I wore on the day of my coronation.’ So too, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, of the seventy imperial nations that You have in Your world, You command me regarding only Israel: “Command the children of Israel,” “say to the children of Israel.”’ He said to him: ‘It is they who crowned Me first at the sea and said to Me: “The Lord will reign for ever and ever”’ (Exodus 15:18).
Rabbi Berekhya said: This is analogous to an elder who had a kerchief.13The elder, the senior scholar in his community, would wear a special kerchief or hood. He would command his disciple, saying to him: ‘Fold it, and shake it out.’ His [disciple] said to him: ‘My lord the king,14Some suggest that the text should read: ‘My lord, the elder’ (Maharip). of all the kerchiefs that you have, you command me only regarding this one.’ He said to him: ‘It is the one that I wore when I was appointed elder.’ So too, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, of the seventy imperial nations that You have in Your world, You command me regarding only Israel.’ He said to him: ‘It is because they accepted My kingdom upon them at Sinai and said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed”’ (Exodus 24:7). Rabbi Yudan said: Come and see how much the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel, as He mentioned them five times in a single verse, as it is stated: “I have given the Levites, given [to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to perform the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to atone for the children of Israel, and there shall not be a stroke against the children of Israel, when the children of Israel approach the Sanctuary]” (Numbers 8:19).
Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king who had a royal garment. He would command his servant, saying to him: ‘Pay close attention to it, fold it, and shake it out.’ His servant said to him: ‘My lord the king, of all the royal garments that you have, you command me only regarding this one.’ He said to him: ‘It is the one that I wore on the day of my coronation.’ So too, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, of the seventy imperial nations that You have in Your world, You command me regarding only Israel: “Command the children of Israel,” “say to the children of Israel.”’ He said to him: ‘It is they who crowned Me first at the sea and said to Me: “The Lord will reign for ever and ever”’ (Exodus 15:18).
Rabbi Berekhya said: This is analogous to an elder who had a kerchief.13The elder, the senior scholar in his community, would wear a special kerchief or hood. He would command his disciple, saying to him: ‘Fold it, and shake it out.’ His [disciple] said to him: ‘My lord the king,14Some suggest that the text should read: ‘My lord, the elder’ (Maharip). of all the kerchiefs that you have, you command me only regarding this one.’ He said to him: ‘It is the one that I wore when I was appointed elder.’ So too, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, of the seventy imperial nations that You have in Your world, You command me regarding only Israel.’ He said to him: ‘It is because they accepted My kingdom upon them at Sinai and said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed”’ (Exodus 24:7). Rabbi Yudan said: Come and see how much the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel, as He mentioned them five times in a single verse, as it is stated: “I have given the Levites, given [to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to perform the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to atone for the children of Israel, and there shall not be a stroke against the children of Israel, when the children of Israel approach the Sanctuary]” (Numbers 8:19).
Pesikta DeRav Kahana
[7] What is the connection between what is written above "And Aharon will atone on its horns once a year" (Shemot 30:10) and what is written after "When you raise the head" (Shemot 30:12)? It is written 'כי תשה' just as 'כי תשה' [when you make a loan, (Devarim 24:10) Moshe said: Master of the Universe, when Israel has merit, forgive them, and when Israel does not have merit, give them a loan as it were, once a year, so Yom Kippur will come and atone for them, "for on this day atonement shall be made for you" (Vayikra 16:30). "Raise the head" - Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Chanina said: this is a hint that they will be the first of the tribes to bring a sacrifice, and who are they? Reuven, as it says "may Reuven live" (Devarim 33:6). ["The head of] the children of Israel" [Why does God command a census?] Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani: What is this comparable to? To a king who had a set of undergarments and who commanded his servant saying, “Lay these out. Fold them. Take care of them.” The servant said to the king, "My master, of all the undergarments you have, why have you only commanded me regarding this one?" The king responded, "These ones stick to my flesh."Such is what Moses said to the Holy Blessed One, "Merciful One, of the 70 nations that exist in Your world, why are You only commanding me regarding Israel, as it says "say further to the Israelite people" (Vayikra 20:2); "speak to the Israelite people" (Shemot 30:31); "say to the Israelite people" (Shemot 33:5); "speak to the Israelite people and say" (Shemot 31:13); "Command the Israelite people" (Vayikra 24:2); "you shall further instruct the Israelites" (Shemot 27:20); "When you take a census of the Israelite people" (Shemot 30:12)? - God responds, "Because they are cleaving to me." As is taught in Jeremiah 13:11 “For as the loincloth clings close to the loins of a man, so I brought close to Me the whole House of Israel and the whole House of Yehudah — declares Ad-nai — that they might be My people, for fame, and praise, and splendor.” Another idea: Rabbi Avin said: What is this comparable to? To a king who had crimson clothes and who commanded his servant saying, “Lay these ones out. Fold them. Take care of them.” The servant said to the king, "My master, of all the crimson garments you have, why have you only commanded me regarding this one?" The king responded, "These are the ones I wore when I first became sovereign.” Such is what Moses said to the Holy Blessed One, "Merciful One, of the 70 mighty nations that exist in Your world, why are You only commanding me regarding Israel? as it says "say further to the Israelite people" (Vayikra 20:2); "speak to the Israelite people" (Shemot 30:31); "say to the Israelite people" (Shemot 33:5); "speak to the Israelite people and say" (Shemot 31:13); "Command the Israelite people" (Vayikra 24:2); "you shall further instruct the Israelites" (Shemot 27:20); "When you take a census of the Israelite people" (Shemot 30:12)? - God responds, "These are the ones who crowned me first as they crossed the sea when they said, ‘God will reign forever’ (Shemot 15:18)." Rabbi Berachia said: this is similar to an Elder who had a traveling cloak and commanded his helper: "Lay these ones out. Fold them. Take care of them." The servant said to the Elder, "My master, of all the traveling cloaks you have, why have you only commanded me regarding this one?" The Elder responded: "These are the ones I wore when I first became an Elder". Such is what Moses said to the Holy Blessed One, "Merciful One, of the 70 mighty nations that exist in Your world, why are You only commanding me regarding Israel? as it says "say further to the Israelite people" (Vayikra 20:2); "speak to the Israelite people" (Shemot 30:31); "say to the Israelite people" (Shemot 33:5); "speak to the Israelite people and say" (Shemot 31:13); "Command the Israelite people" (Vayikra 24:2); "you shall further instruct the Israelites" (Shemot 27:20); "When you take a census of the Israelite people" (Shemot 30:12)? - God responds, "These are the ones who received upon them the yoke of Heaven at Sinai, and said "All that the Living Presence said we will do and we will hear" (Shemot 24:7). Said Rabbi Yudan: come and see how much the Holy Blessed One loves Israel, to the point that they mentioned five times in one verse, see that is written thus: "And from among the Israelites I formally assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons, to perform the service for the Israelites in the Tent of Meeting and to make expiation for the Israelites, so that no plague may afflict the Israelites when the Israelites come too near the sanctuary" (Bamidbar 8:19). Shime'on Bar Yochai compared to a king who gave his son over to a teacher and commanded him: feed my child, give my child [water to] drink, take my child from the house of study, bring my child back from the house of study - so too the Holy Blessed One desires to remember the children of Israel at every moment. Said Rabbi Yudah ben Rabbi Simon: this is comparable to one who sat and made a diadem to the king. Another passed and saw him, and asked: 'what are you doing?" and he responded: 'a diadem for the king'. And the other said: 'do everything that you can, set all the precious stones you are able to, since the future of this diadem will actually be to be used by the king'. So too the Holy Blessed One said to Moshe: all the praise about Israel that you can say, do say in front of Me, all their glory that you can say, say, since in the future I will be glorified in them, as in “You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory.”(Isaiah 49:3)
Bamidbar Rabbah
All the counted, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, of the Levites, by their families, and by their patrilineal house” (Numbers 3:46).
“All the counted, whom Moses [and Aaron and the princes of Israel] counted….” After calculating the family of the sons of Kehat alone, and the family of the sons of Gershon alone, and the family of the sons of Merari alone, it then included their totals together, to declare that they are all equal before the Holy One blessed be He in terms of affection.
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service of bearing in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:47).
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service [of bearing [avodat masa] in the Tent of Meeting].” It is taught: Lack of song invalidates the offering; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. The Rabbis say: It does not invalidate. Rabbi Elazar said: Rabbi Meir’s source is from this verse: “I have given the Levites, given [to Aaron and to his sons…to perform the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting], and to atone for the children of Israel…” (Numbers 8:19); just as lack of atonement19One who fails to sprinkle the blood of the offering. disqualifies, so, too, lack of song disqualifies. The Rabbis establish from that verse: Just as atonement is during the day, so, too, song is during the day.
Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: From where in the Torah is the requirement of song derived? The verse states: “He shall serve in the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:7). What is the service that includes the name of the Lord? That is song. Rabbi Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: From here: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel; a pleasing lyre with a harp” (Psalms 81:3).20Rabbi Yitzḥak interprets avodat masa as referring to song. Se'u can mean lift up something, and it can mean lift up a voice. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing, for the majesty of the Lord…” (Isaiah 24:14). It is taught: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, because the sacred service is upon them; they shall bear [yisa’u] on the shoulder” (Numbers 7:9). From the fact that it is stated: “On the shoulder,” do I not know that “they shall bear [yisa’u]”? Why does the verse state: “Yisa’u”? Yisa’u is nothing other than an expression of song. Likewise it says: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel…,” and it says: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing.” Ḥananya, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother said: From here:21This is another source for the requirement of song. “Moses would speak and God would answer him with a voice” (Exodus 19:19), regarding matters of voice. Rabbi Asa said: From here: “It was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice” (II Chronicles 5:13).22The priestly trumpeters are mentioned in the Torah, and here they are juxtaposed with the singing Levites. Rabbi Yonatan said: From here: “Neither you nor they will die” (Numbers 18:3); just as you23Priests. are involved in the altar service, so too, they are involved in the altar service. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here: “To perform the service of work [avodat avoda]” (Numbers 4:47); what is the service [avoda] that requires another service [avoda]? That is song.24Song is sung as an accompaniment to the pouring of the libation of a sacrifice. Thus, it is a service [avoda] which is only performed in conjunction with another service [avoda].
“All the counted, whom Moses [and Aaron and the princes of Israel] counted….” After calculating the family of the sons of Kehat alone, and the family of the sons of Gershon alone, and the family of the sons of Merari alone, it then included their totals together, to declare that they are all equal before the Holy One blessed be He in terms of affection.
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service of bearing in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:47).
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service [of bearing [avodat masa] in the Tent of Meeting].” It is taught: Lack of song invalidates the offering; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. The Rabbis say: It does not invalidate. Rabbi Elazar said: Rabbi Meir’s source is from this verse: “I have given the Levites, given [to Aaron and to his sons…to perform the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting], and to atone for the children of Israel…” (Numbers 8:19); just as lack of atonement19One who fails to sprinkle the blood of the offering. disqualifies, so, too, lack of song disqualifies. The Rabbis establish from that verse: Just as atonement is during the day, so, too, song is during the day.
Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: From where in the Torah is the requirement of song derived? The verse states: “He shall serve in the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:7). What is the service that includes the name of the Lord? That is song. Rabbi Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: From here: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel; a pleasing lyre with a harp” (Psalms 81:3).20Rabbi Yitzḥak interprets avodat masa as referring to song. Se'u can mean lift up something, and it can mean lift up a voice. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing, for the majesty of the Lord…” (Isaiah 24:14). It is taught: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, because the sacred service is upon them; they shall bear [yisa’u] on the shoulder” (Numbers 7:9). From the fact that it is stated: “On the shoulder,” do I not know that “they shall bear [yisa’u]”? Why does the verse state: “Yisa’u”? Yisa’u is nothing other than an expression of song. Likewise it says: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel…,” and it says: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing.” Ḥananya, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother said: From here:21This is another source for the requirement of song. “Moses would speak and God would answer him with a voice” (Exodus 19:19), regarding matters of voice. Rabbi Asa said: From here: “It was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice” (II Chronicles 5:13).22The priestly trumpeters are mentioned in the Torah, and here they are juxtaposed with the singing Levites. Rabbi Yonatan said: From here: “Neither you nor they will die” (Numbers 18:3); just as you23Priests. are involved in the altar service, so too, they are involved in the altar service. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here: “To perform the service of work [avodat avoda]” (Numbers 4:47); what is the service [avoda] that requires another service [avoda]? That is song.24Song is sung as an accompaniment to the pouring of the libation of a sacrifice. Thus, it is a service [avoda] which is only performed in conjunction with another service [avoda].